Category Archives: My Creative Pieces

Simplifying collagraphs

In September 2017 I attended a workshop where I created several collagraph and drypoint plates, supposedly designed to be printed together. The plates have been stored since then as I was never 100% happy with the results and didn’t really … Continue reading

Posted in My Creative Pieces, My prints | Tagged | 4 Comments

Back to back concertina: Treads

Early in 2021 I drew a montage of tyre treads as a basis for an etching plate. It was etched into a zinc plate, printed in several ways and 2 pieces were made into a stitched booklet for a friend. … Continue reading

Posted in My books & journals, My Creative Pieces, My prints | Tagged | Leave a comment

Collagraph ‘Journey’ – experimentation

During the 5 day residential collagraph course I attended in January I created several plates and today I’m showing one that was made as a trial for a larger piece of work. I started by cutting away 2 sections from … Continue reading

Posted in My Creative Pieces, My prints | Tagged | 2 Comments

Project: Hello Yellow

I recently joined a postcard swap challenge. The aim is to print 12 postcards responding to the theme ‘Hello Yellow’ and post 11 of them to a central address. The coordinator then keeps one for the group archives and divides … Continue reading

Posted in My Creative Pieces, My prints | Tagged | 3 Comments

Project: Reflections from the Pier

In November my husband and I had a few days away in a rented holiday cottage. A beautiful venue, only 8 onsite cottages, lovely helpful management couple and 40 acres for us to roam. The best thing was the view … Continue reading

Posted in My Creative Pieces, My prints | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Brain Clutter: New experimentation

It was late 2021 when I started this project and posted my first Brain Clutter series collagraph (see here) and I’ve been keen to return to the theme ever since. Last week, at a 5 day residential collagraph workshop I … Continue reading

Posted in My Creative Pieces, My prints | Tagged | 2 Comments

Print commission: Piece 3

For the final piece for this commission I went back to one of my very old linocut pieces based on a drawing of a shoe I did in 2014. The previous two prints I created both relied on damp paper … Continue reading

Posted in My Creative Pieces, My prints | Tagged | Leave a comment

Print commission: Piece 2

Last week I attended a 4 1/2 day collagraph workshop and created 3 new plates. I decided to try one of them on the handmade Hemp paper I’ve been sent to experiment printing with. The first piece I printed for … Continue reading

Posted in My Creative Pieces, My prints | Tagged | 1 Comment

Print commission: Piece 1

I was recently engaged to explore printing on handmade Hemp paper by someone who intends to market this paper for sale. I was given a general idea of what was required based on some work I had done previously. Piece … Continue reading

Posted in Design Play, My Creative Pieces, My painting, My prints | Tagged | 1 Comment

Preparing chine collé

I’ve been painting acid-free tissue paper – to use when printing – in preparation for a 5 day collagraph course I’m about to attend. I used very watered-down acrylic paints, allowed the tissue to dry and then ironed the pieces … Continue reading

Posted in My Creative Pieces, My painting | Tagged | Leave a comment

Paper experimentation

On recent visits to the papermaking studio I’ve been exploring laminating paper. In papermaking terms this means layering multiple pulled pieces together into a single finished sheet. I started with white: as much as possible recycled cotton rag printing paper … Continue reading

Posted in Design Play, My Creative Pieces, My paper | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Print group concertina swap

Every December our print group cut up either failed or excess prints produced during the year and swap with each other to create small concertina books. Our group is full of very experienced printmakers, most of whom specialize in specific … Continue reading

Posted in Design Play, General fun pursuits, My Creative Pieces, My prints | Tagged | 5 Comments

Collagraph: Scribbles – Part 2

Several weeks ago I created a new collagraph plate which I decided to use as a swap project print. I blogged about the trials here. This week I’ve completed a series of 13 – 12 to swap and 1 for … Continue reading

Posted in My Creative Pieces, My prints | Tagged | Leave a comment

A bit of time out

It’s been a stressful week so it seemed like a good time to take a few minutes away from other people to mess about in the studio with some loud music, a bit of paper and some pens. Going through … Continue reading

Posted in Design Play, My books & journals, My drawing, My painting | 6 Comments

Quick monotypes

I had a quick dip into the world of monotypes recently after watching a few short videos. Essentially I spent a bit of time with ink, scrapers and credit cards to see what marks I could make. These two were … Continue reading

Posted in Design Play, My prints | Tagged | Leave a comment

Revisiting a collagraph

Back in 2017 I attended a very good and frantically busy workshop exploring a range of printing methods. During the course we each constructed a collagraph plate, Shellacked, then inked and printed them. This was mine: On the left is … Continue reading

Posted in My Creative Pieces, My prints | Tagged | Leave a comment

Collagraph: Scribbles

Exploring new techniques to create plates I got my mini drill out and, using a fine tip, applied it to the surface of a piece of mountboard. The aim was to produce a range of organic imprecise lines as opposed … Continue reading

Posted in My Creative Pieces, My prints | Tagged | 2 Comments

Messing about with paint – Day 4

I noticed how similar my colour palettes were in my two previous pieces so decided to make some adjustments. I also took note of my comment that perhaps squiggles – a bit more organic than my blocks and lines – … Continue reading

Posted in Design Play, My painting | Leave a comment

Messing about with paint – Day 3

On day 3 of the challenge I stuck with acrylic paints, as I enjoyed them so much on the first day. After painting this piece I became stuck on what to do with it next. So I left it alone … Continue reading

Posted in Design Play, My painting | 1 Comment

Messing about with paint – Day 1

Last week two friends and I decided to join a 5 day on-line creative challenge. The basis was supposed to be painting but the ethos was pretty much ‘anything goes’. As it was a free thing, designed to enthuse participants … Continue reading

Posted in Design Play, My painting | 2 Comments

Project: etched swans

I made my first etched plates in 2016 and my first hard ground etching was some swans I had drawn. This was pretty boring, simple line work, and my tutor at the time thought adding some water and sky would … Continue reading

Posted in My prints | Tagged | 7 Comments

Project: Splat

A couple of weeks ago I was searching through my somewhat disorganised sketchbooks for something to translate into a photopolymer intaglio print (a solar plate print). This is my least favourite print style (after screenprinting) for a number of reasons. … Continue reading

Posted in My Creative Pieces, My prints | Tagged | Leave a comment

Exhibition: Southern Printmakers

As I new member of this exhibiting group I was delighted to see my book ‘minimal’ on display at the Milk Factory Galleries (Pop-up 1 & 2) when I visited on Thursday. It was also an opportunity to see all … Continue reading

Posted in Exhibitions & Artists, My books & journals | Leave a comment

Project Minimal: Complete

Both internal and external pages have been printed and bound using reverse piano hinge. Each internal page has a semi-translucent title page preceding it, as an introduction to the following abstracted imagery. Although previous posts have shown the origin of … Continue reading

Posted in My books & journals, My paper, My prints | Tagged , | 2 Comments

Collagraphs with handmade paper

I’ve long been told that it’s difficult to print intaglio on unsized handmade paper, so it was time to give it a go. I always print on quality cotton rag paper, usually 250gsm BFK Rives, so my failures can be … Continue reading

Posted in My Creative Pieces, My paper, My prints | Tagged | 2 Comments

Project Minimal: Eighth page

There is much bushland around where I live and I walk the trails regularly. Teenagers on bicycles & mountain bikes and older lads on motorbikes are systematically destroying areas of the bush; chopping down trees, pulling out shrubs and native … Continue reading

Posted in My books & journals, My Creative Pieces, My prints | Tagged | 3 Comments

Collagraph: cutting and arranging

Several years ago I printed a series called ‘Other Worlds’ and I’ve now repurposed one of the original collagraph plates. My favourite print from the plate looked like this: I started by cutting the plate into pieces and sealing the … Continue reading

Posted in My Creative Pieces, My prints | Tagged | Leave a comment

Project Minimal: Seventh page

Low tide at Bellambi Point dog beach. It’s a place I visit regularly and I’ve many, many photos of rock pools, surf, sea grasses, sand undulations, shells and discarded detritus. Source photo: From paper I cut three abstract shapes. This … Continue reading

Posted in My books & journals, My Creative Pieces, My prints | Tagged | 2 Comments

Paper from pulped fibres

A couple of weeks ago I posted about making paper pulp from a variety of materials including denim and hessian. After the workshop there was plenty left for me to use, so I made some paper from the hessian. It’s … Continue reading

Posted in My Creative Pieces, My paper | Tagged | Leave a comment

Project Minimal: Sixth page

Still taking pictures of the breakwater in Newcastle I was amazed to see rocks heavily pock-marked by wind erosion. Well, I assume that’s what’s caused these amazing indentations in the rocks. Source photo: Using Sharpie pen and paper I drew … Continue reading

Posted in My books & journals, My Creative Pieces, My prints | Tagged | Leave a comment

Project Minimal: Fifth page

This print originated from some drawings I did of the TV remote control where I was exploring abstracting a drawn design, full details of which are here. The item was drawn fairly accurately, then again without looking at the paper … Continue reading

Posted in My books & journals, My Creative Pieces, My prints | Tagged | Leave a comment

Pulping fibres

Last week three of us met at Primrose Park to pulp a variety of fibres to be used to create paper at an upcoming workshop we’re teaching. As there will be several participants it called for a more industrial approach … Continue reading

Posted in My paper | Tagged | 4 Comments

Project Minimal: Fourth page

More photos of the breakwater in Newcastle show not only huge rocks in place but also concrete blocks, which I can only imagine were installed by cranes using the handles clearly visible. Source photo: Finished print: 300gsm Hahnemuhle warm white … Continue reading

Posted in My books & journals, My Creative Pieces, My prints | Tagged | 1 Comment

Project Minimal: Third page

A recent overnight stay in Newcastle (NSW) gave me the opportunity to walk the length of Nobby’s Breakwater, although I see on Google maps it’s marked as Newcastle Breakwater. With my camera in hand I took many photos of the … Continue reading

Posted in My books & journals, My Creative Pieces, My prints | Tagged | Leave a comment

Project Minimal: Second page

During a few days away recently we stopped at Terrigal and walked along the recently completed sea-front boardwalk. I took numerous photos of the wind carved rocks, some of which can be seen in the image above. Source photos: Finished … Continue reading

Posted in My books & journals, My Creative Pieces, My prints | Tagged | 1 Comment

Project Minimal: First page

The inspiration for this project comes from my recent photos and drawings which have been abstracted, simplified and stylised. The end results bear no relation to the original source materials which have been used to inspire exploration of shape, colour … Continue reading

Posted in My books & journals, My Creative Pieces, My prints | Tagged | Leave a comment

Project Minimal: Experimentation

For the last couple of months I’ve been working on abstracting designs from drawings and photographs, trialing stencils and masking techniques, exploring textural prints and creating layers. All this for my current project entitled Minimal – having put my Brain … Continue reading

Posted in Design Play, My Creative Pieces, My prints | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Abstracting a design

This week I’ve been building resources in my sketchbook. An A5 pencil sketch of TV remote controls sitting on my cutting mat was followed by a closer view of a specific area in Sharpie pen. I picked these as my … Continue reading

Posted in Design Play, My Creative Pieces, My drawing | Tagged | 4 Comments

Hard cover Coptic Stitch book

I’ve made books using Coptic Stitch in the past but yesterday I explored a method new to me. Previously I’ve worked individual threads up through the text block. So eight holes along the spine equates to 8 separate threads and … Continue reading

Posted in My books & journals, My Creative Pieces | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Exploring Screen-printing

Last week I attended a 4 day screen-printing course with tutor Julie Ryder. Not only is she a very good practitioner, extremely well versed in the technicalities of the craft, but is also an excellent designer and tutor. Not all … Continue reading

Posted in My Creative Pieces, My prints | Tagged | Leave a comment

Print swap

At the end of the year our printmaking group always do a swap and make books using a print from each member. It’s a great way to share and have a record of everyone, as some don’t continue the following … Continue reading

Posted in General fun pursuits, My prints | 1 Comment

Kozo: Fibre to Paper

I’ve started transforming some of my kozo fibre (general term for the inner bark of mulberry trees) into sheets of paper. I cut some up and left other bits as long strands. I purchased this as per the photo below … Continue reading

Posted in My Creative Pieces, My paper | Tagged | Leave a comment

Brain Clutter: Plate 1

New project I’ve had a lot going on recently and have felt a little overloaded with thoughts, conflicts and noise – all internally. My new project, being created as an extension of my recent collagraphs, aims to document some of … Continue reading

Posted in My Creative Pieces, My prints | Tagged | 1 Comment

Collagraph: Man-made – progress

I first showed this print plate in October where I discovered the issue of using Shellac that had been made for a while and then shaken to remix. Tiny particles had hardened and subsequently transferred to the plate and printed … Continue reading

Posted in Design Play, My Creative Pieces, My prints | Tagged | Leave a comment

Collagraph: Lines & Boxes

I’m enjoying exploring new collagraph materials and these 15cm square bases give enough space to quickly create small unified pieces. Stage 1 For this plate I started with varnished mountboard which I lightly sanded to get a roughened surface. Lines … Continue reading

Posted in My Creative Pieces, My prints | Tagged | Leave a comment

Collagraph: continuing Hexagons

I really enjoyed making this plate and the resulting prints I showed in an earlier blog, so I’ve continued with some colour experimentation. I’ve moved from the warmer sepia, red and orange/yellow hues into a much cooler set of colours; … Continue reading

Posted in My Creative Pieces, My prints | Tagged | Leave a comment

Collagraph: Hexagons

My new collagraph comes as a result of further experimentation leading from my ‘Man-made’ project in October. The strata has been constructed using a variety of media including, from left to right, Akua carborundum gel, several layers of torn handmade … Continue reading

Posted in My Creative Pieces, My prints | Tagged | 1 Comment

Collagraph: Man-made

Using minimal materials; essentially mountboard, a couple of pieces of lightweight paper and some adhesive foil, I built a low-relief multi-layered collagraph plate. I cut into a few areas, removing the mountboard surface, thereby encouraging the ink to ‘grab’ the … Continue reading

Posted in Design Play, My Creative Pieces, My prints | Tagged | 1 Comment

Project: trees

Having been in a very restrictive lock-down situation, due to increasing numbers of covid 19 cases in our state, I’ve been close to home for over 10 weeks now without a definite end in sight; possibly some small relaxation of … Continue reading

Posted in My books & journals, My Creative Pieces, My drawing, My prints | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Making Boxes from my stash

Over the last couple of years I’ve enjoyed a lot of monoprinting using stencils, masks and pattern-creation with textured items. I’ve amassed quite a stash of prints. A few of us decided to cut up our prints and create small … Continue reading

Posted in Design Play, General fun pursuits, My Creative Pieces, My prints | Tagged , | 12 Comments